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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mine · straw · board · fan · deal · snap · key · mouse

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. key — for a lock
  3. board — to get on
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. board — a committee
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. snap — to click
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mine — for digging
  24. snap — to speak sharply

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com